Here's something we can take a little bit of solace in: Jack Bauer may be back sooner than later.
The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Fox and producers are in the early pre-production stages of a prequel that will air this fall; of course, as you know, the actual series won't hit the air until January of '09.
Of course, as you also know, a prequel of this sort raises a few interesting questions: Notably, will this be the first two hours of the day? Or some sort of scene-setter explaining the move to Washington? Or telling people what Jack's been up these last few "months," or...
HR says it'll "bridge the two-year gap" between seasons six and seven; what does that mean? I'm not sure. My hunch is that it's simply smart scheduling by Fox. This - after all - isn't "The Sopranos," which had the luxury (thanks HBO!) of taking multi-year hiatuses between seasons. This is "24," which has to fight for mindshare among viewers with precious little time and even less patience. Getting SOMETHING on the air before January of '09 thus whets appetites and reminds people that evil is still out there and Jack is too.
As you also know, "24" was hit hardest by the strike by just about any show, given its reliance on the 24-hour gimmick. (And, umm, Kiefer was also somewhat indisposed for a little while too.)